LONDON: UK prime minister Keir Starmer will welcome European Union chiefs to Britain in May for the first of regular summits designed to reset Britain’s relationship with the bloc, Downing Street announced Tuesday.
Starmer will host European Council president Antonio Costa and European Commission head Ursula von der Leyen on May 19, a spokesman for the British premier told reporters.
He added it would be the first of “annual summits” as the Labour leader seeks closer relations with European neighbours following the rancour of Britain’s 2020 departure from the bloc under the previous conservative government.
“The first UK-EU summit will provide an opportunity to make further progress on areas which will deliver tangible benefits for the people of the UK and the EU and further strengthen the unique relationship between the United Kingdom and the European Union,” the spokesman said.
The announcement came a day after Starmer, elected to office last July, became the first UK premier since Brexit to attend a major gathering of all 27 EU leaders in Brussels on Monday.
Starmer has vowed to pursue more friendly relations with the European Union and hopes to strike new agreements with the bloc to help fire up a stagnant British economy.
The prime minister has laid out strict red lines however, while the EU has its own demands, raising questions about what exactly the two entities will be able to achieve.
Starmer has vowed Britain will not return to the single market or customs union and has ruled out signing up to freedom of movement.
He does want improvements to the existing trade and co-operation Agreement between the UK and the EU that is due for renewal in 2026.
That could include a new veterinary pact to smooth the export of British agricultural goods, while a deal on mutual recognition of professional qualifications has also been suggested.
The European Commission, meanwhile, has touted the possibility of a youth mobility programme, however the British government has publicly ruled that out.
It is more open to joining a pan-European and North African customs scheme which allows for the tariff-free trade of some goods.
Access to British waters for fisherman from European countries is also expected to be a sticking point in negotiations.
Likely to be top of the agenda at the summit is a proposed defence and security pact which experts view is something reasonably straightforward to agree upon.
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